Safety Persists
Cuts and shutdowns can’t halt the progress of worker protection.
- By David Kopf
- Nov 20, 2025
The world of workplace safety might feel a little uncertain these days. At the federal level, the agencies that have historically set the tone for worker protection are under extraordinary strain.
Let’s start with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The Trump Administration’s June workforce cuts reduced NIOSH’s staff from roughly 1,400 employees to fewer than 150, a 90 percent staff reduction. Paired with an 80-percent budget reduction, this has forced the closure or suspension of cornerstone programs, including the Health Hazard Evaluation Service, the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, and the Respirator Approval Program. The science backbone of occupational safety was hollowed out almost overnight.
OSHA, too, is under pressure. In July, OHSA unveiled a broad deregulatory initiative that included one final rule and 25 proposed rules designed to modernize, simplify, or rescind older requirements. Also, proposed 2026 budget cuts threaten to shrink the agency’s budget by roughly 8 percent and staffing by more than 220 positions. Then came October’s government shutdown. At press time, three-quarters of OSHA’s workforce was furloughed, halting most inspections and enforcement actions, except for imminent danger and fatality cases. Even with citations still being issued, employers face an uncertain compliance landscape.
However, a foundation for worker health and safety laid over decades of research and collaboration remains strong. A prime example is Total Worker Health. While nearly all of NIOSH’s Total Worker Health staff were affected by the layoffs, the program’s ideas and partnerships grew deep roots: The 4th International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health gathered leaders from around the world to share research and best practices. In a Nov. 13 OH&S webinar, Dr. Lili Tenney, who chaired the symposium, shared those innovations, from new mental health approaches to stronger alignment between occupational safety and well-being. (Watch an archive of her webinar at ohsonline.com/webinar.)
Elsewhere, associations like the National Safety Council and the American Society of Safety Professionals, as well as universities and the private sector, are stepping up to fill the gap. Why? Not because regulation demands it, but because the need is undeniable. The National Safety Council estimates that U.S. employers lose nearly $177 billion each year to workplace injuries and illnesses, while Liberty Mutual’s Workplace Safety Index puts the annual cost of serious injuries at more than $50 billion. Simply put, safe workplaces are good business.
And at OH&S, we’re doing our part to keep that momentum alive by working with a growing number of non-government experts, showcasing them in our webinars and running their features on our website and in our print pages. They are absolutely committed to the mission of workplace health and safety, and we are trying to give them a forum where they can share their insights and knowledge with you. Because, regardless of what’s happening in Washington, safety persists.
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
About the Author
David Kopf is the publisher and executive editor of Occupational Health & Safety magazine.